AARON Black reached another new deal with Meralco following an impressive two-year stint with the franchise that saw him being named the 2020 PBA Outstanding Rookie.
Aaron Black contract signing
The 25-year-old Black was given a two-year contract extension on Tuesday which he signed in the presence of team manager Paolo Trillo and agent Marvin Espiritu of EMBM (Espiritu Manotoc Basketball Management).
Passed up by most teams in the 2019 draft, Black was found by the Bolts still available at no. 18 in the second round and lost no time to select him.
The 6-foot-1 guard out of Ateneo was quick to repay the trust of Meralco management by submitting decent numbers of 6.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists despite coming off as the fourth option in the Bolt’s backcourt rotation of Baser Amer, Nards Pinto, and Bong Quinto during the Philippine Cup bubble in Clark, Pampanga.
The effort earned him the nod as the Outstanding Rookie award, the lowest drafted player to win the plum since Red Bull’s Larry Fonacier in 2005 as the year’s no. 14 overall pick.
Black proved there’s no such thing as a sophomore jinx.
He raised his averages to 8.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in the 2021-22 season and helped Meralco reach the Governors’ Cup finals for the fourth time in five seasons.
Unfortunately, the Bolts lost to the Kings in six games in Black’s first finals appearance in the league.
Still, his season was impressive enough to be considered for the Most Improved Player Award, and could have been a strong contender for the PBA Press Corps Finals MVP had Meralco won the championship against Ginebra.
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